If there was ever a reminder that Europe is losing its way, the appearance this week at the European Parliament by convicted Palestinian terrorist Leila Khaled is surely it.

Khaled, a major operative in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), was involved in a wave of hijackings of commercial airliners in 1969 and 1970, most notably a TWA flight from Rome to Athens and Tel Aviv, and an El Al flight from Amsterdam to New York City.

The PFLP, headed by George Habash, helped to invent modern terror. Its curriculum vitae is filled with enough hijackings, bombings (suicide and otherwise), drive-by shootings and kidnappings to fill a good-sized bookshelf. It has partnered with like-minded organizations, such as the Japanese Red Army and Colombia’s guerrilla army FARC, and though Marxist in orientation, the group has enjoyed a relationship with terrorism’s biggest backer today — theocratic Iran. The PFLP’s targets have invariably been civilians: in 2014, for example, its operatives attacked worshippers with axes and knives at a Jerusalem synagogue, killing four and wounding seven.

The PFLP has been on the European Union’s terrorism list since 2012 (decades after the organization came into existence). And yet, Khaled was a featured speaker this week on a program at the European Parliament, titled, “The Role of Women in the Palestinian Popular Resistance.” Khaled received a two-minute standing ovation, preceded by this introduction: “We…have a living legend here with us today, who we can call the Che Guevara of Palestine, Leila Khaled.” The Venezuelan ambassador, who was also present, was introduced as an “honored guest.”

Yom Kippur is one of the six main annual Jewish fasting days: (a) The tenth day of the Jewish month of...Khaled’s speech was not about empowerment and opportunity. Instead, it was a nonstop screed filled with time-tested Palestinian canards about Zionism — and about Jews.

“The Holocaust,” she said, “is only pain to the Jews. They have monopolized the pain and have played the role of the victims. … [D]on’t you think that what happened in Auschwitz is comparable to what happens in Gaza today?”

The Zionist movement, she stated, “aligns with all the capitalists in the world,” and she added that “in the next 100 years, they [the Zionists] will be able to dominate the world economy.”

Khaled even reprised the time-worn line about her being a “freedom fighter,” a term frequently used to excuse, explain or apologize for the violent acts of terrorists such as Khaled and her cohorts in the PFLP, and organizations like it.

At a time when European cities are under increasing assault by an assortment of suicide bombers, car and truck rammers, and knife-wielding attackers, why was Khaled — an inspiration to those who carry out such acts — given a European Union-affiliated megaphone to spout such hatred?

The meeting she addressed was organized by a far-left leaning coalition of parties inside the parliament. According to one report, Martina Anderson, who represents Ireland’s Sinn Fein, gushed in a tweet about the “fantastic turnout” at the event. “Long live international solidarity,” she wrote.

But “solidarity” for what? Khaled’s presentation, with its rants about control of the world’s economy by “racist” Zionists “who have appropriated the role of victims….entirely for themselves all around the world,” was nothing more than a showcase for a rejectionist Palestinian narrative that embraces hatred and antisemitism.

The European Parliament is not the only platform where this kind of behavior has played out; it is only the latest. United Nations agencies like the Human Rights Council and UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), and even the World Health Organization seek, on a routine basis, to deny, minimize or rewrite Jewish history to fit the Khaled narrative.

The boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement, which is closely aligned with this worldview, specializes in comparing Israel with apartheid-era South Africa, and accusing Israeli authorities of ethnic cleansing.

The Khaled event at the European Parliament was not something hidden or unknown to those who peruse the international body’s weekly calendar. Someone made a decision to approve its being placed on the schedule.

To be fair, some members of the parliament have spoken out against Khaled’s appearance in Brussels, as has the European Commission’s coordinator on combating antisemitism.

Yet with so many EU heads of government, foreign ministers and other officials proffering comments about the need to defeat the growing threat of terrorism on the continent, where are those voices expressing outrage over the invitation to a convicted terrorist — who remains a “member of the political bureau” of one of the deadliest of terror organizations — to speak at one of the EU’s central institutions?

In trying to explain this, words like “hypocrisy” and “indifference” come to mind, along with simple political correctness. But it is more than that: Haven’t those in leadership positions in Brussels learned anything from decades of violence espoused by Khaled, her contemporaries and now, by Hezbollah, Hamas and ISIS? If nothing else, have they no self-respect?

The recent list of terrorist attacks in Europe is long, and growing. At the EU, some may have short memories, but surely the families of victims in Paris, Nice, London, Brussels, Copenhagen and so many other places, do not.​The citizens of a united Europe deserve better.

JBS News Update covered the action taken by Interpol for conferring legitimacy on “Palestine” as a full member.

JBS quoted a B’nai B’rith statement saying, “Given the lengthy history of Palestinian acts of terror and the official glorification of acts of terror by the Palestinian Authority, Interpol’s vote is more than shameful."​Click below to WATCH the video (Starting at the 1:14 mark)

CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin made the Jewish Insider Daily Kickoff after attending Israel Ambassador Ron Dermer’s annual Rosh Hashanah reception.​Scroll down or click below to read what Dermer had to say at the event and to see who else was in attendance.

SCENE LAST NIGHT: Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer and Mrs. Rhoda Dermer hosted their annual Rosh Hashanah reception in a tent on the front lawn of their Maryland residence.

Highlights from Dermer's remarks: "Like category 4 hurricanes, Israel should be an issue that brings people together, and tonight is a time to be grateful that Israel is an issue that brings people together... Rosh Hashanah is also a time to think about the year that was and the year to be. As for the year that was -- this is hard for me to admit but for the first time in 69 years, Israel was actually more boring than America. For years I've been telling people that Israel is such an exciting place that Israelis actually go to Manhattan to unwind (laughter)... But today, Israel's political system and hectic media environment have nothing on DC. So congratulations Washingtonians, and let me take this opportunity to recommend that all of you come to Israel for a little R&R over the Jewish holiday... It's true that Israel is disappointed to have lost our title as the most exciting place on the planet but... Israel is looking forward to the year ahead."

Dermer on the Iran deal: "Israel hopes that the coming weeks will bring about a dramatic change in the trajectory of that deal that will ultimately either fix it or cancel it. Israel looks forward to working with the U.S. and its other allies to implement a tougher policy towards Iran in the months and years ahead."

On Taylor Force Act: "Israel hopes that the passage of the Taylor Force Act will finally send a message to the Palestinian Authority that the days when it is internationally acceptable to pay people to kill Jews are over."

The Palestinian Authority officially pulled its bid to become a member of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). We were at the forefront of the push against Palestinian admittance to the organization, urging them to stop the destabilizing antics and focus on meaningful peace talks.

The Times of Israel has the full story, including quotes from our statement on the matter.

UNTWO would have become the second UN body, after UNESCO, to induct the PA; Foreign Ministry says retraction due to behind-the-scenes efforts

The Palestinians on Wednesday retracting their request for a vote on becoming a member state in the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) amid American and Israeli pressure, a source in Jerusalem told The Times of Israel.

The vote, which was supposed to take place on Wednesday, was postponed until the organization’s next plenary session, in two years.

The Foreign Ministry welcomed the decision and said it was due to “great Israeli efforts spearheaded by [Tourism] Minister Yariv Levin, who led the Israeli delegation.”

The PA submitted its request for membership in UNTWO in September 2016.

According to the agenda for UNTWO’s 22nd session, which began Monday in Chengdu, China, the PA was up for membership, along with the Union of the Comoros and the Federal Republic of Somalia.

To become a member, the Palestinians would have required a two-thirds majority vote.

When White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and his team met PA President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah last month, they reportedly asked the Palestinians for a three- to four-month grace period to present a peace plan. During that time, the Americans reportedly asked the Palestinians to refrain from their efforts to pursue recognition from international bodies.

The PA had remained silent on the planned vote, and on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Palestinian TourismMinistry did not respond to a request for a comment.

Had it voted in the Palestinians, the UNTWO would have become the second UN body to grant them the same status accorded to fully recognized states.

In a controversial move, the UN voted in 2011 to give the Palestinians full membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In response, both the US and Israel cut their funding to the UN body, which amounted to a quarter of its total budget.

“The Palestinians must not be allowed to upend the international order, and enjoy treatment not afforded any other group, by being admitted to international organizations as a ‘state’ before they have actually earned that status,” B’nai B’rith said in a statement.

“Such admittance only encourages the Palestinians to continue rejecting the direct negotiations and meaningful compromise with Israel that would provide for the fundamental needs of both sides,” it concluded.

B’nai B’rith Atlanta and board member Art Link for gave B’nai B’rith International some shine in the Atlanta Jewish Times. Link gives a great history lesson on our organization and a succinct summary of our current activities while answering the question: What is B’nai B’rith?​You can scroll down or click below to read it on AtlantaJewishTimes.com.

We Promote Tikkun Olam And Advocate For Human Rights, Community Action And Humanitarian Efforts.

When B’nai B’rith was founded in 1843 in New York, the initial focus was to help recent German Jewish immigrants adapt to their new home and provide aid to their widows and orphans. Indeed, B’nai B’rith was the first Jewish service organization founded in the United States.

Consider that when the first Coca-Cola was served in 1886, Atlanta had been home to a B’nai B’rith lodge for 16 years, and B’nai B’rith had nationally been assisting people of numerous ethnic groups for 43 years.

What do we stand for? The seven-branched menorah is the emblem of B’nai B’rith, whose mission is to fill the world with light of the divine truth. Each candle is symbolic of a noble ideal: Light, Justice, Peace, Truth, Generosity, Harmony and Brotherly Love.

Today, with members in 59 countries, B’nai B’rith International defends Jewish interests around the world. But our impact goes far beyond the worldwide Jewish community.

BBI mobilizes volunteers and provides financial assistance to meet local needs. It operates the respected B’nai B’rith Disaster Relief Fund for nonsectarian assistance worldwide. We were there to help when floods plagued the Midwestern United States and when hurricanes struck Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Texas and Haiti. We were there after terrorists attacked the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, after earthquakes upset Armenia, Iran, San Francisco and Turkey, and after tsunamis devastated Indonesia and Japan.

We offer assistance wherever and whenever needed, without regard to religious, racial or cultural background.

Distributed to parents and caregivers nationwide, our “Smarter Kids, Safer Kids” guide provides information to protect children against abduction and sexual abuse. And our community service programs for the elderly, hungry and homeless have helped more than 10,000 people throughout the United States in the past year alone.

B’nai B’rith International is widely respected as the world’s largest Jewish membership organization promoting human rights, community action and humanitarian efforts. Why do we do all this and more? It’s the right thing to do.

Tikkun olam is a concept that is an integral part of being Jewish. Loosely translated, it refers to our obligation to repair the world, to make the world a better place in which to live, work and play. What we in BBI do is in keeping with tikkun olam.

​Achim/Gate City, Atlanta’s longstanding lodge, is one of the oldest B’nai B’rith lodges. At the local level, we organize and promote volunteer community service programs, including the following:

Cares for Kids — Annually delivers new and gently used stuffed animals to children in hospitals and homeless shelters. Since 1997 we have distributed more than 20,000 furry friends to these children and brought countless smiles to their faces.

Pinch Hitters — Provides more than 300 volunteers in Atlanta-area hospitals and residential care facilities each Christmas Day to relieve our Christian neighbors from work so they can spend the holiday with their families. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush recognized Pinch Hitters as his 335th Point of Light.

Enlighten America — Encourages education, understanding and tolerance of our differences, and appreciation for diversity through an annual essay contest for middle school students.

Unto Every Person There Is a Name — Reads aloud names of actual victims of the Holocaust to help people realize that there were 6 million individual lives lost, not just a monolith of many people grouped together. This nationally observed B’nai B’rith program generally occurs around Yom HaShoah. Anyone who would like to do so may read names of victims; it is quite a moving experience for the reader and for those hearing the names being read.

In addition, social programs throughout the year feature notable speakers with contemporary messages. These events often are combined with dinner at trendy Atlanta restaurants. Also popular are our social outings to plays and cultural events.

We are B’nai B’rith Atlanta — Achim/Gate City Lodge. We would like to get to know you.

Art Link is a board member of B’nai B’rith Atlanta (www.bnaibrith.org/southern-communities.html). For more information, contact lodge President Karen Kahn Weinberg at kw30076@gmail.com or 770-645-1239.

JNS.org ran a story on Norway’s demand that the Palestinians return financial aid after a women’s center the Norwegians helped fund was named for a terrorist. The Palestinian Authority complied.​B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin was quoted in the article, lauding the decision and reiterating our stance that Congress must restrict U.S. aid to the Palestinians after their repeated glorification and encouragement of terrorist acts through cash incentives and other financial support.

Members of Congress and Jewish leaders are urging the U.S. to follow in Norway’s footsteps, after Oslo secured the return of funds it gave to a Palestinian women’s center that was named in honor of a terrorist.

​Earlier this year, Palestinian Media Watch and NGO Monitor revealed that the Norwegian government helped finance a Palestinian Authority (PA)-affiliated women’s center in the town of Burqa, which had been named after Dalal Mughrabi, the leader of a notorious terrorist attack in 1978.

In response, Norwegian officials said they would demand the return of the funds and the removal of the Norwegian flag from the banner in front of the center. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry this week for the first time confirmed it has received the refund. Spokesperson Gur Solberg told JNS.org, “The logo was removed immediately and the Norwegian support of $10,000 has been returned to the Norwegian Representative Office (NRO).” The NRO is Norway’s liaison to the PA.

Palestinian Media Watch Director Itamar Marcus called Norway’s action “a major breakthrough” that may signal “the beginning of a new European attitude towards the PA. For years, PMW has been showing European leaders what the PA was doing with their money to glorify terror and the Europeans tried to excuse it. I hope this is ending now.”

Olga Deutsch, director of NGO Monitor’s Europe Desk, praised the Norwegian government for “insisting that its funds be returned, and that its monies not be used to glorify a mass-murderer.” She said the incident “can serve to increase awareness among donors” of the danger of funds intended for humanitarian purposes being used to “promote extremism and radicalization.”‘Jihad is needed’

Norwegian political figures are applauding their government’s move, and urging it to take action in a similar case that has just come to light.

Jorund Rytman, a member of parliament for the Progress Party, which is part of Norway’s governing coalition, told JNS.org the general question of Norwegian aid to the PA—which last year totaled $40 million—“is presently undergoing a review,” and “whether Norwegian donations have gone to [other] Palestinian institutions named after terrorists should be one of the issues that is looked into.”

Rytman expressed concern about a PMW report that Norway gave $2,000 to the Yafa Cultural Center, in the PA-ruled city of Nablus. At the center’s recent dance competition, first prize was awarded to a performer whose song lyrics included, “We attacked the despicable Zionists/This is the day that Jihad is needed/Pull the trigger.” The top three winners were presented with a golden map showing all of Israel labeled as “Palestine.”

Rytman said “such activities are clearly contrary” to Norway’s goal of “peaceful coexistence,” and therefore “I expect the Norwegian Foreign Ministry to recall the funds, like it did in the Dalal Mughrabi case.” Hans Olav Syversen, a member of parliament for the opposition Christian Democratic Party, told JNS.org he agrees with Rytman that Norway should demand return of its donation to the Nablus center, and would welcome a full review of Norwegian funding to the Palestinians.Congress hails Norway

U.S. congress members are hailing Norway’s action and calling for Washington to take similar steps. Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) recently introduced an amendment to the appropriations bill that would have prohibited U.S. funds from being used by the PA to publicly honor terrorists. The amendment was disqualified by the House Rules Committee on a technicality, but Endowment for Middle East Truth President Sarah Stern said she and her colleagues will be working with members of Congress to reintroduce a similar amendment “at the earliest opportunity.”

A spokesperson for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs told JNS.org that committee chair Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.) “strongly agrees that U.S. funds should not be used to honor Palestinian terrorists” and would be open to a congressional study to determine if any of the Palestinian institutions it currently assists are named after terrorists.

Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.), co-chair of the House Republican Israel Caucus, said he “applauds Norway” for its action and is urging the U.S. and the international community to ensure their donations “are not used to breed future generations of Palestinians committed to violence and terror.”

Prominent voices in the U.S. Senate are also raising the issue. An aide to Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he is “strongly opposed to U.S. assistance being used to recognize anyone for terrorist acts,” and “is open to additional measures” by Congress to ensure that aim. Leading Democrats are taking a similar stance. Marisa Kaufman, spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), told JNS.org, “Sen. Schumer believes it is abhorrent for the Palestinian Authority to honor or provide payments to those who have committed acts of terrorism against Israelis, Americans and others.”Jewish leaders urge action

Leaders of several major American Jewish organizations see Norway’s action as a precedent.

“We commend the Norwegian government’s decision,” said B’nai B’rith International CEO and Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin. “All defenders of human rights and decency should condemn the glorification of terror…We urge Congress to help end this practice by restricting U.S. aid to the Palestinians” so that it cannot be used for institutions named after terrorists.

Betty Ehrenberg, executive director for North America at the World Jewish Congress (WJC), told JNS.org the WJC applauds Norway’s “vigilance” with regard to the women’s center. “Civilized societies must not only unequivocally condemn terrorism but also actively combat it through concrete actions as demonstrated by Norway in this case,” she said.

AIPAC spokesman Marshall Wittmann said his organization likewise supports “a prohibition on the use of U.S. funds for the abhorrent practice of honoring Palestinian terrorists.”

Our statement urging Congress to provide permanent legal status for those under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) legislation was featured in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.​Scroll down to read what we had to say or click below to read it on BrooklynEagle.com.

Rabbi Pesner wrote, “As Jews, our people have known the experience of being ‘strangers in strange lands.’ Our past reminds us of the struggles faced by so many immigrants today. Because of this history, Judaism demands that we welcome the stranger and compels us to work for a just immigration system. It is imperative that Congress step up in support of these young people who grew up in the United States and who want to give back to the only country they know as home.”

Saltzman and Mariaschin wrote, “B’nai B’rith calls on Congress to provide permanent legal status for those under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) legislation. Today’s order by the administration on DACA underscores the urgent need for a bipartisan legislative solution to the precarious status of America’s “dreamers” — the 800,000 undocumented immigrants who grew up in the United States, earned educations here and in most cases are working and contributing to our economy.

“It is simply wrong that these young people, who came to this country because of a decision made by their parents and have become productive members of American society, should live in fear of their status. To deport them to countries that are unfamiliar to them and to which they have little connection is unthinkable.​Calling on Congress and the Trump administration to work together for a “just and equitable solution” so that Dreamers can obtain permanent legal status, the B’nai Brith leaders declared, “B’nai B’rith has long supported legislation that would protect the dreamers, a population that is American in every sense except on paper.”

The size and devastation of Hurricane Harvey came as a surprise. The scenes of catastrophic flooding were barely comprehensible as one of the nation’s largest cities appeared to sink beneath unrelenting rainfall. Four feet of rain fell on Houston, the greatest amount of precipitation from a tropical system in the continental United States.

Houston is home to some 63,700 Jews. According to the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, 71 percent of the community lives in areas that have experienced high flooding. That includes 12,000 seniors. The water that submerged the city significantly flooded three of Houston’s five major synagogues, and the Evelyn Rubinstein Jewish Community Center of Houston, the city’s only JCC, was flooded with 10 feet of water. Jewish schools remain closed, with some experiencing major flooding. It may take years to recover.​If the severity of the storm was a surprise, the immediate response of assistance and compassion from the rest of the country was not. The Jewish community is no exception. In the Houston area, local Jewish camps are housing refugees forced to evacuate their homes, and the Israeli humanitarian group IsraAID is coordinating an aid campaign, including sending volunteers to Houston.

Local Jewish federations quickly set up relief funds to take donations from the public. The umbrella Jewish Federations of North America’s Emergency Committee is working with local federations to aid recovery and ensure that urgent needs are met, with priority given to Houston’s Jewish community. To that end, the organization announced late last week the approval of a first grant of $500,000 to assist displaced families and to help repair the estimated 1,000 homes in the Jewish community that sustained severe damage.

The Jewish religious movements have their own relief initiatives, as does B’nai B’rith international. Chabad has mobilized forces, sending personnel and supplies to Houston. And the Rabbinical Council of America and Orthodox Union, in addition to raising funds, are organizing volunteers to recite psalms.

Once the area is safe for volunteers, the Nechama relief organization is planning to spend at least six months in the cleanup effort, and is looking for volunteers who aren’t afraid to get dirty.

What the soaked and shell shocked residents of the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country need most right now is money and plastic — gift cards from major national retailers that residents can use to buy clothing, toiletries, household items and school supplies.

We wish those hit so hard in Houston a swift and complete recovery and urge our readers to assist in any way they can. As Rabbi David Lyon of Congregation Beth Israel in Houston wrote: “Hurt has no shame and no label; we just need to heal one another.”

The size and devastation of Hurricane Harvey came as a surprise. The scenes of catastrophic flooding were barely comprehensible as one of the nation’s largest cities appeared to sink beneath unrelenting rainfall. Four feet of rain fell on Houston, the greatest amount of precipitation from a tropical system in the continental United States.

Houston is home to some 63,700 Jews. According to the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, 71 percent of the community lives in areas that have experienced high flooding. That includes 12,000 seniors. The water that submerged the city significantly flooded three of Houston’s five major synagogues, and the Evelyn Rubinstein Jewish Community Center of Houston, the city’s only JCC, was flooded with 10 feet of water. Jewish schools remain closed, with some experiencing major flooding. It may take years to recover.

If the severity of the storm was a surprise, the immediate response of assistance and compassion from the rest of the country was not. The Jewish community is no exception. In the Houston area, local Jewish camps are housing refugees forced to evacuate their homes, and the Israeli humanitarian group IsraAID is coordinating an aid campaign, including sending volunteers to Houston.

Local Jewish federations quickly set up relief funds to take donations from the public. The umbrella Jewish Federations of North America’s Emergency Committee is working with local federations to aid recovery and ensure that urgent needs are met, with priority given to Houston’s Jewish community. To that end, the organization announced late last week the approval of a first grant of $500,000 to assist displaced families and to help repair the estimated 1,000 homes in the Jewish community that sustained severe damage.

The Jewish religious movements have their own relief initiatives, as does B’nai B’rith international. Chabad has mobilized forces, sending personnel and supplies to Houston. And the Rabbinical Council of America and Orthodox Union, in addition to raising funds, are organizing volunteers to recite psalms.

Once the area is safe for volunteers, the Nechama relief organization is planning to spend at least six months in the cleanup effort, and is looking for volunteers who aren’t afraid to get dirty.

What the soaked and shell shocked residents of the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country need most right now is money and plastic — gift cards from major national retailers that residents can use to buy clothing, toiletries, household items and school supplies.​We wish those hit so hard in Houston a swift and complete recovery and urge our readers to assist in any way they can. As Rabbi David Lyon of Congregation Beth Israel in Houston wrote: “Hurt has no shame and no label; we just need to heal one another.”

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Texas as they face the epic devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey.The storm that unleashedapproximately 27 trillion gallons — or a record 51 inches — of rain on Texas and Louisiana left 50 people dead (a figure that is expected to increase), thousands of residents displaced and billions of dollars’ worth of property destroyed.

While hatred and evil were on display a mere few weeks ago in Charlottesville, the best of humanity has shown itself during the response to Harvey. From the brothers who drove from Dallas to participate in multiple dangerous rescue efforts to the human chains spontaneously created for saving others to the local Pizza Hut that delivered pizzas by boat to people in need of food, selfless acts of courage have abounded during the tragedy in Texas.For those still seeking a way to help the victims of Harvey, we have compiled the following list of Jewish organizations engaged in Harvey relief efforts:

The Evelyn Rubenstein JCC of Houston is accepting donations for hurricane relief and is also working with Jewish Family Servieces of Houston to collect and distribute e-gift cards to people in need.

Agudath Israel of America has created a disaster relief fund to support Jewish families in the Houston area in need of food and clothing, as well as provisions for the High Holidays.

IsraAid is an Israeli organization that has provided disaster relief to people all over the world. The organization has sent a team to Houston and is collecting donations to support the team in its efforts “to provide emergency relief, psychosocial support, and debris removal assistance,” according to the group’s website.

NECHAMA: Jewish Response to Disaster is an organization that mobilizes volunteers to provide support to victims of natural disasters throughout the United States. NECHAMA is planning for a long-term deployment to Texas and is seeking donations as well as volunteers for this effort.

The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) has established the URJ’s Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. Among the relief activities supported by this fund is the work of the URJ Greene Family Camp. In partnership with other local organizations, the camp is running the Hurricane Harvey Houston Day Camp to provide childcare and meals for children whose parents are dealing with flood clean-up and other issues. The URJ Greene Family Camp in Bruceville, Texas, has also opened its facilities to families in need of temporary shelter. In addition, the URJ website lists Houston-area synagogues that people can contact directly to determine their specific needs.

The Orthodox Union has established a webpage soliciting donations for the Jewish community in Houston, as well as commitments to recite Tehillim (Psalms). People can also volunteer through this page to go to flood-ravaged areas to help the Orthodox community on the ground.